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Monday, May 28, 2012

Spicy Kale and Black Bean Burritos + Fresh Salsa

Weekend
Highlights:

1.
DFJ and I drove to Spokane on Friday afternoon to spend the weekend with his
Uncle, Aunt, and cousin Anika. We are having a wonderful time with this lovely
family and we will surely be sad to say goodbye to everyone today. Afternoons
were spent hanging out indoors playing Labyrinth and Warship as well as some
gorgeous outdoor time at Anika’s playhouse and at some parks. Right before her
bed time, Anika read us some stories… This girl is one good reader and we were
very impressed!

2.
Yoga at Lila Yoga Studio… I went to an H2O Vinyasa class both Saturday and
Sunday and had an amazing experience with great teachers: Lee Bear Tobin and
Kelly Thielbahr. Bear’s class was powerful and enlightening and Kelly’s class
was beautiful, graceful, and challenging. There’s so much I need to learn still
and coming to a bigger class showed me what almost superhuman things other
students were able to do. Before I met MY yoga teacher, Jenn, I would have come
out of both classes feeling frustrated and defeated because I am not as good as
everyone else. But she taught me how to believe in myself and in what I can do,
to listen and respect my body, and that in time I will get to where I want to
go one strong step at a time. When I stepped out into the cool air outside (the
classes are heated and I was pouring sweat on my mat and completely drenched) I
felt happy, strong, and at peace with myself. Thank you Jenn for teaching me
how to be easy on myself and how to have fun in yoga!

3.
Atticus Coffee and Gifts: great coffee and very eclectic gift shop… they sell
antique trinkets, coffee and tea mugs, coffee and tea making gadgets, bulk
coffee and tea, fancy chocolate, books old and new, unique greeting cards, and
some cute home decor.

Auntie’s Bookstore: local bookstore with a great selection of books, friendly staff, and
very well organized displays.

Uncle’s Games: a tiny, local game and puzzle shop with a good collection of awesome
games.

4.
A trip to the Spokane Trader Joe’s and Asian World Food Market on Division
Street. I love Trader Joe’s and although the one in Spokane is pretty small, it
is good enough because we don’t have one in our town. The Asian World Food
Market is pretty small but had all the Korean food ingredients and a decent
selection of Japanese food ingredients that I could ever dream of… Pretty
awesome!

5.
Getting a couple of chances to cook in Laur’s beautiful kitchen! Man, I could
live in her kitchen… I love the island in the middle, the view the forest
(their backyard is literally a forest) from her kitchen sink, the double ovens,
the six burner stove top, and her cooking tools.

Speaking
of cooking, Happy Food Matter’s Project Monday to everyone! This week’s recipe,
Beans ‘n Greens Burritos, was chosen by Jacqui of Good Things Grow. If you
haven’t done so yet, go on over to her website to see Mark Bittman’s original recipe and, make sure to check out her delicious recipes and gorgeous pictures.
Jacqui, thank you for choosing a simple, healthy, and delicious recipe…
Everyone I served it to enjoyed it!

I
had a few modifications and this was my version of the recipe.

spicy kale and black beans

Spicy Kale and Black Bean Burrito
Filling

2
tbsp olive oil

3
cloves garlic, minced

1
small onion, diced

1
carrot, diced

1
red bell pepper, diced

½ tsp
salt

½
tsp freshly ground pepper

1
tsp cumin

2
tsp chipotle chili powder

5
cups kale, roughly chopped

1
can black beans, 15 oz, drained; liquid reserved

Heat
olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. When the oil is hot, sauté the
garlic until golden brown. Add the onions and cook until soft and almost
translucent, about 5 minutes. Toss in the diced carrot and bell pepper and cook
for 3 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, cumin, and chili powder. Throw in the
kale, one handful at a time and cook until it wilts, about 6 minutes. Pour in
the beans with a little bit of the liquid (about 2 teaspoons) and cook for
about 8 more minutes.

spicy kale and black bean burrito with fresh salsa and feta cheese

Serve
on warm whole wheat or flour tortillas with queso fresco or feta cheese and
fresh salsa. Fold into a burrito and enjoy!

fresh salsa with mini heirloom tomatoes

Fresh Salsa

2
cups mini heirloom tomatoes, diced

1
cup onion, diced

2
cloves garlic, minced

½
cup cilantro, chopped

freshly
squeezed juice of 1 lime

½
tsp chili powder

¼ tsp pepper

In
a large glass bowl, mix together tomatoes, onions, garlic, and cilantro. Stir
together well. Squeeze lime juice and stir until everything is coated with the
juice. Season with chili powder, salt, and pepper and stir well to make sure
all seasonings are evenly distributed. Let sit in the refrigerator for at least
two hours to allow flavors to settle. Give the salsa another good stir right
before serving.

Great
in burritos, tacos, or tortilla chips!

Today let us remember to say a silent prayer of gratitude to our brave brothers and
sisters who have given their lives for the country and say thank you to a war
veteran.

15 comments:

This looks AMAZING! And that salsa (thanks for the recipe). I too used black beans and really liked how it worked with the flavors. And I used spinach and swiss chard, instead. Not too big on kale around here :)

We're still waiting for the masses of tomatoes- hopefully not too much longer. But that salsa you made- I just want to eat it through the screen! It looks so delicious and amazing! BTW- sounds like you had a busy, but fun, weekend! Great advice on looking at your own pace, especially when doing yoga!

About Me

Hello, my name is Margarita. I try to live a healthy lifestyle by eating well and working out. I am a cooking enthusiast and I like sharing my love for good food. Most of my recipes contain lots of vegetables and perhaps a bit of meat here and there. Staying active is one of the things that keep me sane. I love doing yoga, walking, hiking, biking, lifting weights, and occasional running. Join me in my food, travel, and life adventures and together let's eat well, cook right, live strong, and be healthy!